Haunted
by MissWorded
Summary: [s.CRY.ed Halloween Special] Ryuhou, Scheris, Mimori, and Cougar find themselves stranded in the middle of the Lost Ground, with nothing to do but investigate an old, creepy house...
1. Prologue: Just a House

* * *

"Kiryu-san, watch the monitor carefully. We wouldn't want to miss any signs of Native Alter activity." 

"Kiryu-san, you were slow on those controls. Don't do it again."

"Kiryu-san, this math seems incorrect. Are you sure you did it properly?"

"Ryuhou-_san_, I received a college-level math degree at age twelve. I didn't get it by slacking off."

Scheris, Cougar, and the other occupants of the HOLY vehicle looked away as Ryuhou stared coldly down his nose at Mimori.

"Hn."

He walked away, ignoring her. She, surprisingly, did the same, not casting another glance in his direction, though the set of shoulders looked stiff.

"Talk about a cold shoulder," murmured Ichigo, a HOLD newcomer.

"Yeah, I've never seen Kiryu-san act like that," Scheris said by his side. He looked at her strangely.

"I was talking about Ryuhou-san."

"He's_ always _like that."

"Maybe so… but he's been on her case all afternoon."

Scheris frowned and looked away. Really, Ryuhou was just misunderstood. He was _trying _to do his job, and every time he reprimanded someone, everybody thought he was being a jerk! If Kiryu-san was having trouble, he should call her out to avoid future problems instead of letting it fester.

-

Mimori bit her lip fiercely against the sigh that was desperate to escape. He wasn't going to let up, was he? Ryuhou really had given up on their friendship – no, their _relationship._She had ceased being anything but an annoyance to him. She couldn't even be simply his colleague – he wanted her gone. Salt stung her eyes, but she kept typing dutifully. No one knew the emotions roiling under the surface, and that was good; she had been raised in a household that demanded the utmost composure. Her heiress's bearing would not allow her to cry in public.

-

_How long is this going to last? _

This… whatever it was. _Charade_ was a good word. It was hurting him, but more importantly it was hurting Mimori. Ryuhou didn't want to be mean to her; all he wanted to do was let his guard down, let her know _him_ again. But letting his guard down, letting her in, would be the death of Mimori. And Mimori was all he had left from a happy childhood. He was not about to risk her. Really, he was doing this for her own protection. When would she get the message and _leave_?

-

Cougar was silent.

Not only was he silent, he was _contemplative_. Yes, underneath all the bluster and impulsiveness was a genuine, cognitive being who thought about his actions, but when he shed that persona, it was a sight to see.

_Speaking of a sight to see… Minori-san is quite upset. _

Straight Cougar was also very perceptive. Though he feigned ignorance, he could see the hurtful interplay between the two. Ryuhou was purposefully being cold to her, for what reason he could not imagine.

What a fool. He had the greatest treasure under his nose, and yet he shunned it. If only Mimori would take a second to look around for another option, one that wasn't green-haired. Orange was a nice color…

_I will make it my mission within this mission to make Minori-san fall in love with me! _

Disregarding the fact that he had promised himself this every day since he had first seen her without success, Cougar's eyes took on a determined glint as he let his sunglasses slide down to his nose.

_No day like today…_

_-_

"I'm seeing a disturbance," Mimori announced to the silent convoy.

"There's some sort of an energy… it keeps fluctuating, flickering on and off the radar."

"Let me see."

Soundlessly, Mimori moved aside for Ryuhou to study the screen, unblinking.

"Get ready. We're moving out now."

* * *

It was only a house. 

If it could be called that. Though it may at one time have been a sprawling, ornate mansion, now it was a decrepit ruin. The wood was rotting; the gaps in shingles on the roof revealed even older, more mottled tiles. Part of the house seemed to have collapsed in on itself, unable to support the weight on its moldy beams. A few shutters hung off their hinges precariously as the days fading light cast strange shadows on the house and surrounding overgrowth of bushes.

"Kiryu-san, are you _sure_ this is it?"

"If it would settle you, Ryuhou-san, I'll check the data – again."

He raised an eyebrow in command and Mimori's lips thinned. "Alright then." The glow of the laptop screen illuminated the faces of Ryuhou, Mimori, Scheris and Cougar, casting them in a ghostly pale light. "If you take a look at the coordinates on this map, they match perfectly with the coordinates on the radar on which the disturbances were recorded."

Ryuhou's frown deepened. He took a look at the old house again, straightening up as he did so. Reaching out with an awareness that all Alter-Users had, he could feel nothing from the house, nothing but an empty husk of rotting wood.

A wind rustled their clothes and hair gently, causing goosebumps to raise on Scheris's arms. Something about this place was giving her the chills in the worst way possible.

Mimori was glaring between the computer screen and the house. Really, all she wanted to do was go home, take a long, hot bath and go to bed. Ryuhou was clearly not to be reasoned with at this point, and it was absolutely freezing out here.

"Perhaps there is something wrong with your software."

"Perhaps something is wrong with the updates Elian-san made on this laptop for me, though I doubt it."

Another tense silence.

"_Perhaps _we should stop wasting time just standing here! In fact, maybe we could do something **productive** with our time, like MOVING! _**For you see, movement is the greatest catalyst of –**_"

"Enough, Cougar."

"Um, Ryuhou? Maybe –"

"Kiryu-san, give me the computer."

"What? No!"

"Guys, I'm really –"

"Give me that computer or I will be forced –"

"RYUHOU!_** Surely you are not threatening the lovely and talented Minori-san!**_"

"IT'S MIMORI!"

"Yah, that's what I said, Minori!"

"Whatever. Just give me that computer. I want to check –"

"This computer is my possession. HOLY has no claim over it, and –"

"This place is really creeping me–"

"Everybody,_quiet._I said, _give me the laptop_. Kiryu, that is a _direct_ order from your superior."

In the dead silence of the evening, Mimori surrendered her laptop, hiding the hurt and acidic anger in her eyes when she looked down. Very quietly, Ryuhou began to fiddle with the thin, high-tech computer, having a slow go at it. This was one area in which Mimori had him beat.

Mimori wrapped her arms around her chest firmly in order to stop her fingers from automatically reaching over to him and correcting his slow and somewhat clumsy movements. Though his fingers were slender and graceful, almost feminine if one ignored the hard, calloused palm, they were unsure, hovering slightly over the keyboard. Of course, to everyone else he looked more than competent, but to her eyes he was an amateur. Her annoyance quickly grew, unabated, until -

"Ryuhou, please, let me –"

With a low groan, all functions inside the convoy flickered off slowly. Their only light source, the bright fluorescent bulbs, had petered out; the long orange extension cord that had been feeding power to the laptop failed to do so, and that light faded as well. It was only in that moment that they realized how dark it was.

"Shit," Ichigo swore. He fumbled around in his pockets for a moment before pulling out a light and flicking it on. "Here."

The face of Akane, the one other HOLD operative, was the most prominent; she looked shaken. "What are we going to do?" Her voice was trembling.

"I'm going to find the backup power," said Mimori calmly. Without another word she turned and walked back into the vehicle.

"W-wait, Mimori-san!" Akane hurried after her, stumbling slightly unlike the heiress.

"Well?" asked Ichigo. "What are we going to do?"

"Hope to find the backup power," answered Ryuhou. "If that fails, we have all had required survival training… I can't see any difficulty in surviving one night out here."

"But what about the two in the van?" Scheris didn't mention her own unease. There was just something…_off_ about this house. But Ryuhou didn't sense it, so it must not've been anything to worry about…

"As much as a sacrifice as it may for them, I am sure they can survive for one night," said Ryuhou, echoing his previous statement. Their conversation was cut off as a dim glow began to emit from the lights inside their vehicle. Mimori poked her head outside, frowning.

"Report."

"We would have more power… but the backup battery wasn't recharged to its proper capacity. This light and some communication is all we're going to get before the battery dies. We're basically stuck where we are."

There was a muffled whimper from behind her.

"If we are stuck, then we might as well see if this house has anything interesting to it," said Ryuhou. "Cougar, Scheris, Ichigo, you're with me. Akane-san, Kiryu-san, you stay in the car and try radioing for a backup squad."

"No!" Akane yelled, appearing almost out of nowhere. "You can't leave us here! What if something happens? What if we're attacked by bears? What if some serial killer tries to get us? What if - what if a _Native Alter _decides to –"

"Enough! The probability of any of those things actually happening is slim to none," Mimori snapped at her. "Besides, defense training and weaponry training were required to get this job. Didn't you pass those tests?"

"Yes, of course I did, but I don't usually take field missions," said Akane snidely, clearly offended by the heiress's tone. "This was a favor for a friend, not because I enjoy doing them! And how can you expect me to stay calm with _you_ as company?"

Mimori's usually doe-like brown eyes flashed dangerously as she rounded on the redhead, who suddenly quailed under Mimori's glare.

"I've got an idea!" interjected Ichigo cheerfully. "I'll stay here with Akane-san and Mimori-san can go with Ryuhou-san, Scheris-san and Cougar-san. Is that all right with you, Ryuhou-san?"

He snorted quietly before nodding. "Let's go."

They approached the warped porch of the house quietly and cautiously, not wishing to disturb any wildlife that may have been lurking. Ryuhou and Scheris took point, while Cougar and Mimori held back slightly.

"It looks so old…" breathed Scheris, feeling that same chill crawl up her spine again. She repressed a shiver. Mimori made a soft noise of agreement.

"Judging by the architecture, it was at least one hundred years old before the Great Uprising." The blue-haired teen barely heard these words, because the bad feeling within her had continued to grow. The closer she got to the house, the more she wanted to turn around and run back to the HOLY facilities, where she had warm bed and a warm meal awaiting her. This cold ache was so painfully familiar…

Ryuhou was the first to reach the threshold. With a tentative push, the door glided open…

* * *


	2. Scheris and Cougar

Disclaimer: Me no ownie.

* * *

…and there was nothing terribly exciting. A mildewed carpet, a table made lopsided by the loss of a leg; a typical entryway, if a little more expansive than the average house. A grand staircase led upwards and then split off right or left; at the bottom of the stairs on either side was a hallway that looked less than inviting. Scheris let out the breath she had been holding unconsciously.

"Let's split up."

She felt the chill again when she heard Ryuhou say those words.

"Scheris, with me down the left hallway. Cougar, Kiryu-san, down the right."

He turned stiffly on his heel and walked with clear confidence in the direction of the left hallway, leaving Scheris to scurry after him. She glanced around once. Cougar was chatting animatedly to his companion, but Mimori was watching the two of them go with a strange look in her eye.

_I wonder what Mimori-san is thinking about…_

"Scheris, you're falling behind."

"Oh! Sorry, Ryuhou, I kinda got lost in my thoughts."

"Hn."

She internally flinched at the annoyed flash in his eyes before he turned away to continue walking. He was clearly not in a good mood, and it was obvious why. Scheris squinted her eyes shut, letting every noise (little that there was) but the sound of his sure footsteps fade; then, ever so slowly, even that grew fainter and fainter until it was nothing, so that she could slip peacefully into her own thoughts.

This house. This house had some strange quality about it, some quality that every other rundown, ramshackle, uninhabitable pre-Uprising house did not have. The problem was she didn't know exactly _what_it had; but it was clear that the _thing_it possessed was not a good thing. Another shiver crawled up her spine, and this time she was unable to suppress it. She hoped Ryuhou wouldn't notice.

_Creeeeeeeeak._

Scheris jumped back sharply, eyes snapping wide open. The floorboards under her feet had creaked loudly, startling her. That was all. Taking a deep breath, she steeled her nerves and glanced warily from side to side. She wrapped her arms around herself in a protective way.

"Sorry! Ryuhou, this place is…it's – it's just wrong."

Silence.

"Ryuhou?"

There was no response.

"Ryuhou, this _really_ isn't funny!"

Her own shaky voice echoed up and down the empty hallway. The one window, large as it may have once been, had been boarded over years ago, and allowed only a few slivers of light to guide her.

"Please. Please come out."

No one could hear her broken whisper, because no one was around to. The blackness seemed to draw closer, attracted to her despair. Her breathing quickened and she sped up.

"Wait up!"

Scheris' slow jog soon broke into a frenzied sprint. She ran and ran and did not stop. She ran until she tripped unceremoniously over the edge of a dark, stained carpet, and slammed her head into the floor painfully. She almost instantly realized that she had popped her right arm out of its socket from the pain she could feel there. Quickly, she scrambled to her feet and her gaze flickered around – around – well, around wherever the hell she had ended up…

"R…Ryuhou?" Again, her echo answered her mockingly. Her shoulders hunched.

"Ryuhou…"

A silken curtain rasped as the wind tugged it gently, letting the moon's pale glow light the pitch-dark room. She glimpsed the shadow of a figure. "Ryuhou!" she called happily, running towards him.

"Ryuhou, I –"

She had reached out a hand to grasp his shoulder (an action to reassure herself) only to touch cool glass. She paled.

"W-what…?"

Looking again, she saw only her scared reflection, and the reflection of all the emptiness surrounding her. The huge mirror seemed to magnify the nothingness until it surrounded her small, shaking form completely.

_I…I'm alone…_

She didn't quite manage to choke back her panicked scream as she turned and fled the room.

--

--

"_**And sooooooooooo, Minori-san, that is how speed has contributed to the development of everything good! SPEEDSPEEDSPEED! Speed is so –**_Minori-san, are you paying attention? Minori-san? Minori-san? MI-NO-RI-SAN! Huh! Now where did she run off to?"

Hmm'ing and aah'ing, he poked his nose in a few rooms down the hallway, calling her name loudly in a singsong voice. A frown formed on his face when he could not find her in any of those rooms.

"Minori-saaan, where are yoooouuuu?" His thoughts took a panicked turn and he continued to wander, going faster and faster until he had nearly activated his Alter. Realizing what he was doing, he immediately put on the brakes, knowing that activating his Alter was getting more and more dangerous. With a small scowl he looked around and saw nothing familiar. The scowl became a grimace.

"Oh, shit."

He turned to leave and barely noticed the slight sluggishness to his step until he reached the door. He glanced down at his feet to assess the problem; nothing seemed to be wrong. He shrugged and continued to walk.

Looking up, it appeared as though the door had suddenly gotten farther away. Hm. No matter. Just a trick of the imagination. He took a step forward.

Or attempted to. Cougar found, to his sheer horror, that he was moving in utterly slow motion. Every step of his seemed to take an eternity before it even neared the old, rotting floor.

_What the hell is happening to me?! _

Panic crawled up his throat like vomit and he fought the urge to retch, knowing that the movement, too, would go so slowly it would seem to last forever.

Why was this happening? He hadn't felt anything strange from this old house, but Mimori's calculations had never been wrong before now. Was it some sort gravity room, where the pressured was increased dramatically to induce the impression of slow motion?

There was a scream.

_Mimori!_

He tried to plow through the molasses-like air, to no avail. What the_hell_was going on?! She needed his help, damn it! Every little step took longer and longer and longer –

"Cougar, you failed!" whispered the voices of his past, echoing inside his head. "You were too slow… she's gone now, just like –"

"_**NO!"**_

He struggled even harder, and even faster, nothing was working, he almost moving backwards now, Mimori was gone – images were facing before his eyes – _her_laughing green eyes, followed by Mimori's annoyed yet amused face – then blood was everywhere, they were both dead now, there was nothing he could do, he was too slow – _again - _

_I'll be faster this time, I promise! Please, just let me – I said that I would, I _promised_I would be faster this time - !_

There was another scream, and this time it seemed to break a trance, putting everything back into perspective. Cougar was suddenly speeding through the house at record speed and that was definitely saying something.

_Not this time!_

_---_


End file.
